Canadian national player Aaron Doornekamp and Mr Canada Phillip Scrub are very special players something Fraport Skyliners head coach Gordon Herbert felt very early. These two amazing humble players could form their own special group and if they were real cheeky and off their rockers could name it “We produce titles the way cows do milk so don´t mess with us”, but since they are true professionals and born team players, they would not only never even dare to be so rude towards their teammates or even be capable to dream up such a bizarre name for a group. However one thing doesn´t lie, these two complete players that on the court think like brothers know how to win titles as between them won 8 CIS championships with Charleton as Scrubb made his nickname Mr Canada and for many the greatest college player ever to play in Canada won 5 while the elder statesman Doornekamp won three. When looking at their teammates on the team, there are very few that have won anything besides John Little who won the 2010 Eurochallenge with BG Goettingen as most players like the German big 3 of Johannes Voigtmann, Danilo Barthel and Konstantin Klein are still searching for their first professional team title, while Jordan Theodore is so hungry for that first taste of champagne that he might be liable to do anything to get that chip even part with his favorite sneakers while guys like Florida native Mike Morrison is still without a title in his fourth full season and Quantez Robertson the identity figure and Mr franchise who is in his seventh season with the Fraport Skyliners and has run up down the floor like no other player in the Beko BBL isn´t getting any younger could put a stamp on getting his number next to Skyliner legend Pascal Roller in the Fraport arena when his playing days are over with a win. Not to forget head coach Gordon Herbert who last was close to winning a title with Frankfurt in 2010 when he lost a bitter game 5 against the Brose Baskets Bamberg. The hunger and thirst for finally getting a title back to Frankfurt which last happened in 2004 as the curse of the bambino was still alive with the Boston Red Sox from 1918 to 2004 before finally winning another World Series in October as they had been without a title for 86 years. 12 years since having won their last championship may be nothing compared to what Boston Red Sox fans went through, but if you look in the hardcore fans eyes and players, you can sense one phrase keeping their thoughts preoccupied day in and day out and that is “It´s time for club title 3”!
Frankfurt Skyliners
Johannes Voigtmann Fuels The Fraport Skyliners Into The Fiba Europe Cup Final Slipping By Enisey 59-56
Basketball players usually remember their first and maybe even second professional games especially when they gave a good effort. It seems like it has been ages since Fraport Skyliners power forward Danilo Barthel was a rookie in the 2011-2012 season, but he got on the right track in his first two games at home against Oldenburg and on the road in Tuebingen scoring 8 points in each contest in limited minutes, but at once letting the German basketball world know that there is potent basketball coming from the historical city of Heidelberg. For Barthel playing on the front line squeezed between the eccentric ex NBA player Jermario Davidson who will be remembered for playing with his cell phone on the bench while being injured and possibly studying new rap lyrics at an away game in Tuebingen and the talented young German Tim Ohlbrecht who had already played his first Beko BBL game at age 17 with Leverkusen, won the German league title at age 19 with Bamberg and played at the 2008 Olympic games at age 20. After that his career stagnated a bit and seemed at a low point when he came to the Fraport Skyliners in 2011. After the wasted season in Frankfurt where he never really got going under the hard nosed head coach Muli Katzurin where he averaged 6,0ppg and 4,0rpg and was even humiliated having to play 4 Pro B games with the farm team. After that season, he knew he had to make a change in his career as it was going nowhere, so he decided to go to the United States and try his luck even if that seemed like a reach at the time. He worked hard during the summer of 2012 in New Jersey and then made it to the NBA via the D-league. He played 3 NBA games for the Houston Rockets and won 2 D-league titles with Rio Grande and Fort Wayne which was no easy feat. Last season he came back to Germany and laced up his sneakers with ratiopharm Ulm and averaged 12.1ppg, 5.3rpg, Blocks-5(1.2bpg). This season he took the bucks and went to Russia to Enisey and has been a key figure in their success as he is averaging 11,3ppg and ,4,0rpg while shooting a strong 65% from the field. Last season the 27 year old German played solid games against Frankfurt with Ulm posting 17 and 15 points. Ohlbrecht probably won´t remember the first two games of the 2011-2012 season where he put up the goose egg in the first two games against Oldenburg and Tuebingen, but Barthel will surely never forget those first two games where he put his first mini stamp on the Beko BBL with his rugged play. Ohlbrecht was looking for another title while Barthel was still looking for his first title and both were motivated to help get their teams going and into the coveted final on Sunday as the Fraport Skyliners needed a strong fourth quarter to grind out a dirty 59-56 win over Russian team Enisey and will face off against Italian team Varese on Sunday as they dispatched home team Chalon 91-82. It was another game where Ohlbrecht didn´t fair so well as he notched only three points in the loss. One got a feeling very quickly that it would be a grind out game as both teams focused on defense and just couldn´t get anything going on offense as players had a new obstacle to contend with the ball. “It was a dirty game get down fight to the end. Both teams really wanted to win, but it was difficult playing in a totally new gym and it was hard adjusting to the Molten balls since we are used to the Spaulding. We didn´t play well for three quarters. We were too excited in the first three quarters and we are supposed to be under control, but we missed too many easy lay ups and free throws, but in the fourth quarter we stuck to our principles moving the ball and playing great defense”, stressed ex Seton Hall guard Jordan Theodore. Enisey fought hard for 40 minutes, but in the fourth quarter got an extra dose of aggressive defense thrown in their face and were unable to tame the Frankfurt inside out game. “It was a real grind out game and the Frankfurt good team defense really helped them. They also did a good job getting fast break buckets and our transition defense hurt us. Frankfurt hit big shots at the end and we couldn´t make the plays which was the difference”, stressed ex George Washington(NCAA) guard Tony Taylor.
The Fraport Skyliners Will Need Skyliner Basketball For Success At The Fiba Europe Cup Final 4 In France
The Fraport Skyliners meet Russian team Enisey in the semifinals on Friday and come into the tournament with a lot of self-confidence riding a nine game winning streak from the Beko BBL.Their latest coup was a dandy 80-64 masterpiece against 8 time Beko BBL champion Alba Berlin on the road which was their first win in Berlin in the last four tries dating back to game 4 of the Beko BBL 2010-2011 playoffs when Frankfurt won 83-74. “. It was a win we needed. I’m overly satisfied with my team. We grew together all season and we’re ready to take what’s ours”, stressed Fraport Skyliners guard Jordan Theodore. In the Fiba Europe Cup, they were the best team, but needed three games to dispose of Israeli team Maccabi Rishon as they let game 2 slip away on the road in OT 88-84. In a do or die game three in Frankfurt, the Fraport Skyliners found to their old self again winning 91-75 as they were led by Mr Canada Phillip Scrub with 20 points and six guys scored in double figures. The team displayed their classical Skyliner basketball which is a mix of amazing ball movement coupled with the great pass outweighing the good pass and great defense something the team has prided their game on as they are the top defensive team in the Beko BBL and Fiba Europe Cup allowing the least points of 65 in each category. The Fraport Skyliners are led by the basketball conductor Jordan Theodore as well as the German twin towers Johannes Voigtmann(11,4ppg, 5,7rpg, 2,3apg) and Danilo Bathel(8,8ppg, 4,7rpg, 1,9apg), Canadian national player Aaron Doornekamp(9,6ppg, 4,8rpg, 2,2apg), and freak athlete Quantez Robertson11,6ppg, 4,0rpg, 2,8apg). The club has a very solid bench where any guy can step up at any time in a game and make big plays and shots like Mr Canada Phillip Scrubb(14,0ppg, 2,4rpg, 2,3apg), Konstantin Klein(7,3ppg, 1,6rpg, 2,3apg), the minister of defense John Little(5,2ppg, 2,4rpg, 1,1apg) and big Mike Morrison(8,2ppg, 4,2rpg) and the judge Johannes Richter(2,6ppg, 2,8rpg who head coach Gordon Herbert calls his best offensive rebounder.
Johannes Voigtmann Finds His Rifle Again Powering The Fraport Skyliners Past the EWE Baskets Oldenburg 78-63
In the last three months one of the hottest teams in the Beko BBl have been the EWE Baskets Oldenburg who have been like a runaway train led by 257 pound beast Brian Qvale lending that scoring and physical trait with supporting cast Ricky Paulding and Vaughn Duggins on the wings as nobody has been able to stop them as they were riding a magnificent 12 game winning streak. In this glorious Beko BBL run, the club had scored more than 100 points three times and even if they played 60 percent lower ranked teams, they were able to beat two teams battling for a playoff spot with the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg and the Giessen 46ers and also defeated two of the top three with the Brose Baskets Bamberg and Alba Berlin. What really has been most impressive is thatnthe EWE Baskets Oldenburg had been able to beat these four times in crunch time and seem on a good way heading into the playoffs where winning these nail bitters are very important in a close series. For a guy like Mr Oldenburg Ricky Paulding who has played 350 Beko BBL games coming into the showdown against the Fraport Skyliners, he is a guy who could probably tell you exactly where he scored certain points in his career in the Fraport Skyliners living room. Paulding also will remember that the last game that his club lost before they started this long winning streak was the do or die game on January 20th as the Fraport Skyliners secured their ticket for the 2016 Beko BBL cup final 4 in Munich with a 80-68 victory. In that game, the EWE baskets Oldenburg stayed with the Fraport Skyiners well being down at halftime 44-43, but a devastating 17-5 in the third quarter Frankfurt run broke the back of Paulding and co as Frankfurt marched to Munich with their heads held high. Not only was the revenge factor big for the EWE baskets Oldenburg, but the game also witnessed a new rematch of the brothers of another mother Jordan Theodore and ex NBA player Scott Machado who grew up on balling and dreaming of a professional career at the Dyckman playground in the Washington/Heights section of New York. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg wanted revenge while the Fraport Skyliners wanted to notch a win and secure home court advantage and travel to Berlin with a lot of self-confidence for their next game on Sunday with 8 time Beko BBL champion Alba Berlin and did as Oldenburg went down in Frankfurt for the second straight time this season losing 78-63 and securing home court advantage in the playoffs. It was another great team effort for the Fraport Skyliners where they really buckled down on defense in the second half allowing Oldenburg to only to 25 points. When one plays against a talented offensive team like Oldenburg totally shutting down everyone is about as uncommon as keeping A Jordan Theodore clear from the lane, but the Fraport Skyliners did a super job holding Mr Oldenburg Rickey Paulding to only six points and not letting Vaughn Duggins and Brian Qvale to totally explode as they were limited combined to 24 points. “We played Skyliner basketball once again. I feel that we really put together a good 40 minutes of basketball. Even when we did get down, we never worried about it, but just concentrated on the next play and getting the job done. We played good defense and moved the ball never dwelling on mistakes. This was a huge game where we were playing for third place. We came to play”, stressed Fraport Skyliners guard Jordan Theodore. For the EWE Baskets Oldenburg winning had been a very normal thing in the last months, but in Frankfurt they hit a stone wall that even that gave their players difficulty coming up with answers as to why they couldn´t continue their winning streak on the road. “Like always Frankfurt defended very well. Frankfurt dictated the tempo with their defense and we just didn´t shoot the ball well. We missed too many easy lay ups and we had to work a lot harder to get open shots on offense”, added EWE Baskets Oldenburg guard Philipp Schwethelm.
Danilo Barthel Plays With Authority Powering The Fraport Skyliners Past The Mitteldeutscher BC 89-51
Over the years, the stroll from the Fraport Skyliners dressing room to the VIP dining room began with the big German three of Johannes Voigtmann, Danilo Barthel and Konstantin Klein taking the march together to just the two big men and especially in this season, the three have totally broken apart and often departed the door individually as their status has become one where they don´t need to walk together. However a little less than 72 hours ago after the seemingly solid 86-70 victory over Phoenix Hagen, the three German national players didn´t come out of the dressing room trying to hide or sneak unnoticed down the 80 meter runway to the mesh hall, but walked with a mean authority with that facial expression of don´t mess with me just get out of my way. They could have doubled for movie characters the Incredible Hulk, Barry Egan aka Adam Sandler from Punch Drunk Love or Walter Sobchak from the Big Lebowski. Of course the three big Germans aren´t truly like these characters in real life, but had a reason for giving that angry appeal as they were simply overly disgusted with themselves and their play after the 86-70 win over Phoenix Hagen. At the end of 40 minutes the three Germans had only played a combined 20 minutes and 23 seconds and scrapped up a measly 3 points. Fraport Skyliners head coach Gordon Herbert isn´t one to get mad either, but apparently the start of Voigtmann and Barthel that led to a 12-5 Phoenix Hagen lead was under his standard. The two would come back later for a short instance and then sat out the whole second half. Klein was unable to bring that needed energy and his shot continued not to fall also. For a guy like German Max Merz who is playing his fourth professional season, he finally got some minutes with 10.56 and scored seven points and that will probably be the only game in his professional career where he will be able to boast that he scored more than the German big three and Quantez Robertson as they all combined for five points. Sometimes having a rude experience like this can be the best medicine for a player to question his own game and the four players had a few days to digest this bitter game and look forward to the next battle against 2004 Fiba Cup winner Mitteldeutscher BC who are in a fight to stay in the league. The German big three and Robertson got a new chance against the Mitteldeutscher BC and proved that their play against Phoenix Hagen couldn´t be duplicated as the four starters combined for 47 points outshining their weak five points as the Fraport Skyliners wiped out 2004 Fiba Europe Cup winner Mitteldeutscher BC 89-51. Especially German national player Danilo Barthel was on a mission as he more than made up for his less than satisfactory performance against Phoenix Hagen steering 21 points, nine rebounds and two assists. He was lethal especially in the first quarter getting Frankfurt going getting a big lead and never looking back. “I didn´t have my best game against Phoenix Hagen and today I just wanted to show everyone that I was present”, stressed Heidelberg native Danilo Barthel. Teammate Quantez Robertson was thrilled that Barthel and him were able to perform back to standard. “Barthel was on a mission. He came out aggressive from the start on offense and defense. He got to the rim early and free throw line which opened it up for his outside shooting in the second half. I came out getting guy s involved, played defense and hit a few shots”, explained Quantez Robertson who finished with seven points, three rebounds and five assists and had to take some of the load for Jordan Theodore who was out nursing a hurt shoulder.
Mr Canada Philip Scrubb Heats Up In The Third Quarter Powering The Fraport Skyliners Past Phoenix Hagen 86-70
In the last weeks, the Fraport Skyliners have had very exciting times first reaching the Fiba Europe Cup Final 4 to be played in Chalon at the end of the month and were in London, England for a 4 day team building while for Phoenix Hagen the last weeks have been rather more stressful as they suffered the loss to team player and inside presence DJ Covington who went down against the Brose Baskets Bamberg with a brutal season ending injury, had six points withdrawn from their season from the Beko BBL, but last week finally had a bright spot again in their less than satisfactory season as they celebrated a massive 102-82 win against MBC at home. Both teams came into the contest on a rare Thursday night with wins, but one thing that the Fraport Skyliners had to do without was a big tall 201cm 221 pound fellow who always stands out in a crowd wearing his benny cap. The big man setting his own fashion statement is South Carolina native Martinis Woody who would come to Frankfurt on many occasions during the season and make the return and back 288 kilometer trek from Karlsruhe. Last season freak athlete Quantez Robertson would often make the short 23 kilometer trip to Langen to watch Woody play. Five days ago, Woody was key in the win of PS Karlsruhe in Limburg where he helped the team move up to the Pro B league. However this season, the low key American who moonlighted as a kind of babysitter for Quantez Robertson´s girl during the game was more than in a hurry to get back stateside as he wasn´t in the Fraport arena to witness the newest victim of the Fraport Skyliners. The Fraport Skyliners came into the game in fifth place with a record of 20-8 and Phoenix Hagen in 11th place with a record of 12-17 and didn´t need the support of Martinis Woody as they had everything in control after a small lull in the first quarter whipping Phoenix Hagen 86-70. As usual, the Fraport Skyliners got a good lead and then were able to wear down their opponent in the second half. “We had a tough start and we came out slow and engaged. They were able to play their brand of basketball which is a few passes and then quick shots. Then we were able to settle down and you have to give our second unit a lot of credit. They came to play. We showed extreme toughness when we were down continuing to battle back and get the lead. We were able to carry the momentum into the second half and win the game”, stressed Fraport Skyliners guard Jordan Theodore. Phoenix Hagen had a potent start, but were unable to keep up the intensity for 40 minutes. “We jumped out on them well at the start, but Frankfurt then subbed and that lite a fire with them. We were never able to find a rhythm in the half-court offense. Frankfurt have very physical guards and bigs and we just couldn´t adjust to that”, added Phoenix Hagen guard Brandon Jefferson. Despite not playing in the second half and possibly playing the least minutes ever in a Fraport Skyliners jersey with 12 minutes and 53 seconds, ex Auburn guard Quantez Robertson had a lightening response ready for why there was no need for his friend Martinis Woody to be at the game. “The kids weren´t here tonight, so there was no need for the babysitter Woody”, smiled Quantez Robertson.
Philip Scrubb Supplies Punch As The Fraport Skyliners Knock Out Maccabi Rishon 91-75 Reaching Fiba Europe Cup Final 4
Even now when you can see amazing big name players Like Kyre Irving aka uncle Drew, ex UCONN NCAA champion Kemba Walker, ex Milwaukee Buck Brandon Jennings or future NBA legend in the making Kevin Durant on any given night at the legendary Monsignor Kett Playground a.k.a. Dyckman Park in the Washington Heights/Inwood section of Manhatten, but there was a time when these guys and others were balling and battling each other when they were younger and not as known as they were now and they might have been replaying classic basketball events on the court or just being Michael, Sir Charles, Clyde the glide Drexler or Doctor J Erving and making big time shots in clutch moments or at the buzzer. Some of those guys that have been playing on this legendary playground Dyckman have been Jordan Theodore, Jeremy Hazell of French team Chalon and ex NBA player Scott Machado of the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. What they once dreamed about as younger players, now turn into real time situations. Do or die games are always present in all kinds of professional sports, but especially when it´s playoff time and in international club play as the Fraport Skyliners and Israeli team Maccabi Rishon had for the ticket to the Fiba Eurocup Final 4. New York native Mark Lyons came up big last week saving Maccabi Rishon from being kicked out of the competition with a strong 19 point game against Frankfurt and had to show his A-game again while Theodore and the Fraport Skyliners had their second do or die game of the season after disposing of Oldenburg a few months ago to register their ticket to the Beko BBL cup top 4. The Fraport Skyliners have had their ups and downs in do or die games as in the past they won a game five at home in 2004 against the Brose Baskets Bamberg winning their first league title, lost a game five in the 2005 final losing in Bamberg as their opponent got revenge, lost a game five in the 2010 final in Bamberg again, lost a game 5 in 2011 in the semi-finals against Alba Berlin and last season won a game three against Russian team Enisey as they were powered by German national player Johannes Voigtmann with 26 points securing a berth in the Eurochallenge final 4. With having won a do or die game already this season against Oldenburg, the Fraport Skyliners were looking be 2-0 in these types of games and stayed unbeaten as they cruised into the Fiba Europe Cup Final 4 with a big 91-75 win over Maccabi Rishon as it was a total team effort as always. Fraport Skyliners Jordan Theodore didn´t have a typical great game, but was solid and with another step closer in his journey to winning his first professional title and was in a talkative mood about the win and do or die feeling playing against friend Mark Lyons that at times can go on and on as if he were a basketball poet. “It is a blessing to be able to compete at a high level for something so important like the Fiba Europe Cup. This is my first season, but so many guys on the team have been here longer and after losing last season really want to win it this season. I have said it so often in that when we play good defense and move the ball, then we are hard to beat. Our bench came in and it speaks volumes of our team that no one plays for their self, but for the team. Our goal is to continue to get better and win this title. I was so nervous coming in and could hardly sleep. I just wanted to get it over with. Me and Mark Lyons went head to head. We both break down guys and find ways to help teams win. He had a good game whereas I didn´t as much, but we came out on top. I don´t know if there will be a rematch this summer as he lives in Arizona so maybe we will have to meet in between in Miami”, smiled Englewood, New Jersey native Jordan Theodore.
The Fraport Skyliners Display Beautiful Basketball Like Art And Music Blowing Out BG Goettingen 100-65
A big trend this season for the Fraport Skyliners has been coming off a Fiba Europe cup victory and going into the next Beko BBL contest with a special added dip of self-confidence as just about everything the Fraport Skyliners touched in the international club basketball competition turned to gold, except for their bitter 88-84 OT loss against Maccabi Rishon in Israel last week where their more than impressive 15-0 record which brought them wins against teams from countries like Holland, Slovenia, Portugal, Sweden, Poland, Turkey and Cyprus was snapped. Now for the first time this season, the 2004 Beko BBL champion had to prepare for a league game with a loss in the back of their minds. The sign of a great team is always being able to forget the last game and perform big in the next game which they did winning in fine fashion in Tuebingen Frankfurt arrived in the game against BG Goettingen with a one game losing streak in the Fiba Europe Cup, but had won their last home game in the Beko BBL with a huge 78-48 romp against the Telekom Baskets Bonn while the 2010 Eurochallenge winner who was sitting in 16th place had a four game losing streak and had lost six of the last seven games. In the last three games between Frankfurt and Goettingen, there was no star point guard duel as in the last game last season, Fraport Skyliner Justin Cobbs was out with an injury as ex NBA player Khalid El Amin paced BG Goettingen with 17 points. In the first meeting this season in Goettingen, Frankfurt won 84-71 where Jordan Theodore led the visiting team with 28 points and 10 assists, but ex Chicago Bulls point guard El Amin was still with Sigal Prishtina (Kosovo-SuperLeague) so the big duel never took place and for the last meeting in Frankfurt, El Amin was injured so fans had to observe and enjoy other duels and match ups. Every game now is a game seven for BG Goettingen as they need to find a way to crawl out of the cellar while the Fraport Skyliners continue to look to the top to get the best standings position. El Amin was in the arena and acted like an extra assistant coach on the bench and experienced the great play of the Fraport Skyliners as well as the stellar conducting job of Jordan Theodore. After the easy 100-65 victory, a thrilled Theodore marveled about the game as well as what an impact an El Amin had on him as a player in the last 18 years. “Gottingen played hard, but when we are shooting and defending well and in the zone then we are hard to compete with. When we get stops and get out on transition, we are unstoppable. I watched El Amin when I was growing up. He was a player that made his teammates better and was a real winner. I remember matching his game to the other great point guards in the Big East and later also watched film on him. He won many titles and even played in the NBA. There aren´t many guys that have achieved what he did. I met him in Turkey when I played there. I was sad that I couldn´t play against him. I wanted to play well tonight, but also learn from him”, stated ex Seton Hall point guard Jordan Theodore. BG Goettingen had a good six minute spurt in the second quarter, but for the rest of the game they were dominated in all aspects of the game. EX Florida State standout Luke Loucks who is playing for the Hebeisen White Wings Hanau has caught a few games this season and left the arena impressed once again. “That was another routine win for the Fraport Skyliners. They exhibit real Skyliner basketball when they make great passes, hit open shots and play hard defense. There are so many examples in the game of their great ball movement like at the end where Klein and Doornekamp passed up shots for the totally open Mike Morrison underneath or near the end of the first half where Frankfurt had four guys had good shots, but all waited for the great shot that that fifth player had”, added Hebeisen White Wings guard Luke Loucks.
Darryl Monroe Is The Mad Police Powering Maccabi Rishon Over The Fraport Skyliners 88-84 Forcing Do Or Die Game In Europe Cup
At first glance when watching a Jordan Theodore on the court, one most likely marvels first with his powerful, masterful, and unstoppable penetration that he can do at any moment in a game and gain instant points and is as automatic as it is for turning on a light switch. If the room is dark and you want to see better turn on the light. If the Fraport Skyliners are struggling and need a burst of energy and points, hand the ball to the ex Seton Hall guard because he will get you that bucket right away. However another big strength of his game is his defense and if you think about the best Frankfurt Skyliner defenders one most likely mentions Quantez Robertson and John Little first, but it is probably Jordan Theodore that is the most potent defender even if he doesn´t get the credit. Theodore leads the team in steals in the Beko BBL and Fiba Europe Cup and has notched steals in 25 of 37 games and is always a pest getting in passing lanes and just having unbelievable hands ready at all times. It is often the defense of Theodore that sparks the team offense and gets them in transition to get easy buckets. It is the play of Theodore and every other Skyliner on defense that has been the secret to the success of the team this season as everything that happens on the court revolves first with their defense. With their push defense and always help mentality that has gained them the #1 spot in the Beko BBL and Fiba Europe cup in team defense as they have allowed 69 and 63 points per game in the respective competitions. Frankfurt has played their best defense in the Fiba Europe Cup in their last three games against AEK and Maccabi Rischon as they have given up an average of only 53 points per game. With one win away from gaining the ticket to the Fiba Europe Cup top 4, the Fraport Skyliners had to travel to Israel and put up with a boisterous crowd of Maccabi Rischon fans and met a never dying Israeli team that trailed by as much as 14 points in the first half, but stepped it up in the second half winning the game 88-84 in OT. Everyone was awaiting another defensive masterpiece, but instead the 88 points were the most points that the Fraport Skyliners had given up in Fiba Europe Cup play and the second most this season after the loss to Alba Berlin. A 8-0 run to start the OT period got Maccabi Rishon in flow as they survived the mini Frankfurt comeback at the end. Maccabi Rishon was powered by ex George Mason center Darryl Monroe who was known in school as being the funny police as he controlled any joke that was told and if he laughed then it was clear that it was a good joke. There was no funny police or joking on his mind in this game, but he was all business and head of the mad police and he was on a mission and angry to force a game three and had an amazing game with 28 points, 14 boards and nine assists leading his team to a do or die game in Frankfurt. If Frankfurt had converted at a higher percentage at the free throw line, they most likely would be in the Fiba Europe Cup final 4 now. Maccabi Rishon showed a sense of urgency and were rewarded with a do or die ticket in Frankfurt. This game was very important because we felt we didn’t cone to play the first game, so this game we wanted to prove we are a better team than we showed. Coach did a great job making adjustments throughout the game. Him and the other coach really had us prepared”, stressed ex Xavier guard Mark Lyons. “We didn’t play well enough to win tonight. They were a better team for 45 mins. We made some crucial mistakes that cost us the game”, added Fraport Skyliner Jordan Theodore.
The Fraport Skyliners Annihilate The Telekom Baskets Bonn 78-48 With Exquisite Skyliner Basketball
Recently there were two American basketball warriors in the Fraport arena with Los Angeles native Brandon Bowman who at the age of 31 is still going strong with the help of his consistent gym visits was playing a Europe cup game with Cypriot team AEK Larnaca against the Fraport Skyliners. Also in the arena, but on the sidelines in street clothes and in his typical slick and suave swagger that he still possesses at the age of 32 was St Louis native Jimmy Mckinney who had some days off from the Telekom Baskets Bonn as it was the cup weekend. Mckinney who played six seasons with the Fraport Skyliners was back in his old stomping ground visiting old teammates Quantez Robertson and John Little while possibly doing some early scouting for the next meeting between Frankfurt and Bonn. What both Bowman and Mckinney will probably never remember is that they never met in the Fraport arena, but more than seven years ago in a game in Bonn where Bowman took on Mckinney and Frankfurt notching 10 points, while Mckinney put up the good old goose egg mustering 0 points, but at the end of the day Frankfurt went home with the 84-75 victory. No matter if Mckinney is in street clothes or in uniform, he is always a welcomed guest in Frankfurt as in his time in Frankfurt, he was always loved by the fans and was so close to winning his first professional title in 2010, but fell short in a 5 game series against the Brose Baskets Bonn. Last season he came late to the Walter Tigers Tuebingen, but had a solid season averaging 12.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 87.5%. This season he was signed by the Telekom Baskets Bonn and had a superb Eurocup season averaging 10,9ppg and shot an astronomical 52,8% from downtown and hit Italian club Dolomiti for nine three pointers and in the Beko BBL is averaging 8,3ppg while shooting 36,8% from the parking lot. After the departure of head coach Mathias Fischer he played less and had thoughts of hanging it up, but with the arrival of new head coach Silvano Poropat has played again in the last two games. In the last years he has come back to Frankfurt and had a 1-1 record with the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg and it is always a big challenge and exciting time for him to test the rims in his old living room. He didn´t meet Frankfurt last season despite playing for Tuebingen was pumped to be back in Frankfurt and test who had the better legs him or Quantez Robertson. 25 minutes after the game had ended Mckinney exited the locker room sporting a St Louis Cardinals cap and rushed out to see Robertson and discuss the good old days. A little bit earlier, Mckinney would have dreamed to have been back in the good old days with Frankfurt as with his new team Telekom Baskets Bonn he suffered an annihilation of the worst kind getting blown away 78-48. The only consolation prize that he had, but probably never noticed on the stat sheet was that he had three steals while his old teammate Quantez Robertson had two steals. Mckinney was relaxed after the loss and wasn´t surprised by the play of the Fraport Skyliners. “It was fun to be back and I was really grateful for the nice greeting. I have to thank the organization for the warm welcome. I knew it would be a tough game. I think that Poropat is a great coach, but he hasn´t been here and long and no one can expect things to change overnight. Frankfurt has been together so long and is well coached. Their defense was very intense and we couldn´t find a way to score well”, stressed ex s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg guard Jimmy Mckinney.
German Hoops 